MN SCB prides itself in organizing annual meetings that foster discussions amongst a great mix of conservation scientists and practitioners. Our 2012 Annual Meeting did not disappoint. Thirty-five researchers, students, and conservation professionals from agencies and non-profits came to the beautiful setting of Dodge Nature Center on March 10th.
Ecosystems Services: from theory to conservation toolbox
The start of the Ecosystem Services Symposium was abuzz with discussion as meeting participants shared in small groups what they each wanted to get out of the session. Steve Polasky (Fesler/Lampert Professor of Ecological / Environmental Economics, UMN) gave an excellent keynote presentation on Ecosystem Services, Economics and Conservation. He was followed by two very experienced conservation practitioners, Doug Norris (MN DNR Wetland Program Coordinator) and Terry Lee (Water Coordinator, Olmsted County Environmental Resources). Doug discussed wetlands mitigation banking (Powerpoint here) and Terry Lee gave a case study on Decorah Edge, a working example of applied ecosystem services (Powerpoint here).
Reflections on 25 years of Conservation Biology in Minnesota
In recognition of the 25th anniversary of the journal Conservation Biology, MN SCB invited four people to reflect on the first 25 years of conservation biology in Minnesota and beyond. Karen Oberhauser, Director of Graduate Studies of the UMN Conservation Biology Program, highlighted the impressive contribution of this program to the development and practice of conservation biology. In the program’s first 20 years (celebrated just last year) it has graduated over 200 graduate students making a conservation impact in a wide variety of positions in academia, non-profits, agencies, and the private sector here and abroad. Rich Baker, Endangered Species Coordinator for the MN DNR and a founding board member of SCB drew from his notes from the first meeting of SCB and shared his personal and some of his peers’ views on the importance of SCB now. Darby Nelson, writer, conservation activist, aquatic ecologist and three term state representative, highlighted major trends including climate change, decline of science education, declines in hunting and fishing participation, etc. He also noted that the conservation biology community can play an important role in informing the best conservation investment of the Legacy Amendment's Outdoor Heritage Fund. Kristen Nelson, UMN Professor of Environmental Sociology, probed the audience by asking, "do you call yourself a conservation biologist? What is the metaphor that holds you in this room?" She observed that the place that makes conservation biology the best is when you are uncomfortable, straddling values and fields. She also noted that conservation biologists are still too often walking into the room thinking they know the solution. After some excellent discussion with the audience, she encouraged all to "be on the edge and use the motivator of hope in our metaphors."
MN SCB awards its first student presentation awards!
The oral presentation sessions
featured a mix of students and professionals. For example, UMN ConsBio
student Bridget Henning presented on direct payments for conservation
in Papua New Guinea. Tom Will, USFWS, presented a fascinating talk on
the wildlife impacts of unrestrained cats. Congratulations to the
winners of MN SCB's first Student Awards: Alex Heeren (UMN; Northeast Climate Change Study) and Marcus Beck (UMN; Identifying covariates of a lake assessment index to improve biological assessment).
Darby Nelson, For Love of Lakes
Following an excellent set of contributed papers, Darby Nelson gave an inspiring keynote presentation on his book, For Love of Lakes. He spoke of his journey towards this book. As an aquatic ecologist and long-time biology professor, he was pre-disposed to write a more scientific account of Minnesota's lakes. But a writing class at the Loft Literary Center transformed his approach. His teacher said "people want to read about people." Darby took that advice to heart and wove a wonderful story exploring Minnesotans' inclination to so love our lakes that we often contribute to their degradation.
This Annual Meeting illustrated the valuable role that the MN Chapter can play in fostering connections amongst members of the community of conservation scientists and practitioners. These connections span generations and bridge academia, agencies, non-profits. The presentations helped us learn new things, see new approaches, have discussions we often don't have, meet new people and reconnect with others. It also got us outside, in part thanks to Lee Frelich's nature walk. And we had a lot of fun socializing and eating good food at the social. Thanks to all who made this meeting such a success!
Find out more about MN SCB here.
Ecosystems Services: from theory to conservation toolbox
The start of the Ecosystem Services Symposium was abuzz with discussion as meeting participants shared in small groups what they each wanted to get out of the session. Steve Polasky (Fesler/Lampert Professor of Ecological / Environmental Economics, UMN) gave an excellent keynote presentation on Ecosystem Services, Economics and Conservation. He was followed by two very experienced conservation practitioners, Doug Norris (MN DNR Wetland Program Coordinator) and Terry Lee (Water Coordinator, Olmsted County Environmental Resources). Doug discussed wetlands mitigation banking (Powerpoint here) and Terry Lee gave a case study on Decorah Edge, a working example of applied ecosystem services (Powerpoint here).
Reflections on 25 years of Conservation Biology in Minnesota
In recognition of the 25th anniversary of the journal Conservation Biology, MN SCB invited four people to reflect on the first 25 years of conservation biology in Minnesota and beyond. Karen Oberhauser, Director of Graduate Studies of the UMN Conservation Biology Program, highlighted the impressive contribution of this program to the development and practice of conservation biology. In the program’s first 20 years (celebrated just last year) it has graduated over 200 graduate students making a conservation impact in a wide variety of positions in academia, non-profits, agencies, and the private sector here and abroad. Rich Baker, Endangered Species Coordinator for the MN DNR and a founding board member of SCB drew from his notes from the first meeting of SCB and shared his personal and some of his peers’ views on the importance of SCB now. Darby Nelson, writer, conservation activist, aquatic ecologist and three term state representative, highlighted major trends including climate change, decline of science education, declines in hunting and fishing participation, etc. He also noted that the conservation biology community can play an important role in informing the best conservation investment of the Legacy Amendment's Outdoor Heritage Fund. Kristen Nelson, UMN Professor of Environmental Sociology, probed the audience by asking, "do you call yourself a conservation biologist? What is the metaphor that holds you in this room?" She observed that the place that makes conservation biology the best is when you are uncomfortable, straddling values and fields. She also noted that conservation biologists are still too often walking into the room thinking they know the solution. After some excellent discussion with the audience, she encouraged all to "be on the edge and use the motivator of hope in our metaphors."
MN SCB awards its first student presentation awards!
The oral presentation sessions
featured a mix of students and professionals. For example, UMN ConsBio
student Bridget Henning presented on direct payments for conservation
in Papua New Guinea. Tom Will, USFWS, presented a fascinating talk on
the wildlife impacts of unrestrained cats. Congratulations to the
winners of MN SCB's first Student Awards: Alex Heeren (UMN; Northeast Climate Change Study) and Marcus Beck (UMN; Identifying covariates of a lake assessment index to improve biological assessment).
Darby Nelson, For Love of Lakes 
Following an excellent set of contributed papers, Darby Nelson gave an inspiring keynote presentation on his book, For Love of Lakes. He spoke of his journey towards this book. As an aquatic ecologist and long-time biology professor, he was pre-disposed to write a more scientific account of Minnesota's lakes. But a writing class at the Loft Literary Center transformed his approach. His teacher said "people want to read about people." Darby took that advice to heart and wove a wonderful story exploring Minnesotans' inclination to so love our lakes that we often contribute to their degradation. 
This Annual Meeting illustrated the valuable role that the MN Chapter can play in fostering connections amongst members of the community of conservation scientists and practitioners. These connections span generations and bridge academia, agencies, non-profits. The presentations helped us learn new things, see new approaches, have discussions we often don't have, meet new people and reconnect with others. It also got us outside, in part thanks to Lee Frelich's nature walk. And we had a lot of fun socializing and eating good food at the social. Thanks to all who made this meeting such a success!Find out more about MN SCB here.
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